Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your minds on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1 paraphrased).

follow God or our feelings

As we have been discussing, the flesh represents the nature that is rebellious and against everything that God ordained when he created us. This is not purporting that we have two natures, one good and the other bad as some do. We have one nature and free will.  That is we have the ability to make choices. We can choose what colour we paint our houses/flats/rooms, what food we buy, what programmes we watch (assuming we have a television), what and where we eat and who we listen to.

 Again this does not imply or imply that we have two natures as some suggest, only that we choose to make choices that go against what God desired for us. This is part of the flesh and that is why it must be cut away.

There are two things that were very poignant about the circumcision that Joshua carried out at Gilgal;

1. The flints were rough and ready and were not sterile
2. The patients were operated on without anaesthetic

One of the hardest things to do in our spiritual walk is the removal of the ‘flesh’. Sometimes we have to go through the pain of the operation only to find that we succumb to some infection or the other and that the ‘flesh’ has grown back but not in the correct manner, rather like those do it yourself ear piercings that produce bulbous flesh behind the ear. Secondly the fact that there was no anaesthetic means that the whole process was a rather painful one. Developing humility, patience, longsuffering, kindness, gentleness and so on is hard work. However these virtues are opposite to the vices of anger, wrath, badmindedness, bitterness, hatred and malice. The virtues are products of the fruit of the Spirit, whereas the vices are the default position of fallen humanity.

So today which will it be? The pain of the operation to cut away the flesh, so that we can be under authority and get in step with the Spirit: or reject the pain for now and follow our feelings?

The choice is ours and remember it is a choice.

Read Colossians 3:1-17